Flashback: Blimp disasters

Associated Press

The Hindenburg, an 804-foot German zeppelin, explodes and later crashes to the ground at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in Lakehurst, N.J., May 6, 1937. The roaring flames silhouette two men, at right atop the mooring mast, dangerously close to the blasts.

The Hindenburg, an 804-foot German zeppelin, explodes and later crashes to the ground at Lakehurst Naval Air Station in Lakehurst, N.J., May 6, 1937. The roaring flames silhouette two men, at right atop the mooring mast, dangerously close to the blasts. (Associated Press)

The Hindenburg crashes to the ground, tail first, in flaming ruins after exploding. WLS radio man Herb Morrison was on the job. His very human reaction to the tragedy would become one of the most famous news radio broadcasts of all time: "It;s burst into flames. ... Get out of the way, please; oh my, this is terrible. ... It is burning. ... This is one of the worst catastrophes in the world ... oh, the humanity!" Morrison chokes up and sounds like he is sobbing. At times, he apologizes to listeners and falls into stunned silence, only to return moments later to describe more of the scene.

The Hindenburg crashes to the ground, tail first, in flaming ruins after exploding. WLS radio man Herb Morrison was on the job. His very human reaction to the tragedy would become one of the most famous news radio broadcasts of all time: "It;s burst into flames. ... Get out of the way, please; oh my, this is terrible. ... It is burning. ... This is one of the worst catastrophes in the world ... oh, the humanity!" Morrison chokes up and sounds like he is sobbing. At times, he apologizes to listeners and falls into stunned silence, only to return moments later to describe more of the scene. (MURRAY BECKER, Associated Press)